Means for producing light effects



April 21, 1942.

c. BRONNER, SR 2,280,684 MEANS FOR PRODUCING LIGHT EFFECTS Filed April12, 1939 3 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR I Clel/ela/za BrwmerJk' 1224 ATTORNEY,April 1942-. c. BRONNER, SR 2,280,684 MEANS FOR PRODUCING LIGHT EFFECTSFiled April 12, 1959 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR filer/alarm Bram/2e1- Jr:

April 21, 1942. c. BRONNERSR MEANS FOR PRODUCING LIGHT EFFECTS Fil edApril 12, 1939 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 'YINVENTOR Cleveland Bro/men:

BY ATTORNEY Patented Apr. 21, 1942 UNETED STATES PATENT OFFICE MEANSFOR. PRODUCING LIGHT EFFECTS Cleveland Bronner, Sr., Norwalk, Conn.

Application April 12, 1939, Serial No. 267,388

(Cl. Mil-1&1)

4 Claims.

This invention relates to means for producing light effects.

It is an object of the invention to provide a means for screening lightcoming from a light source in such a way that novel and unusual lighteffects may be produced.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a means forprojecting and screening light so that the effect of a flow of color isproduced.

It is another object of the invention to provide a means for securing acolor effect, the pattern of which is constantly changing.

In the attainment of the above and other objects, there is provided as afeature of the invention a means involving the directing of lightthrough at least two light-screening surfaces having definedlight-transmitting sections, while moving the light-screening surfacesin opposite directions transverse the light passing therethrough.

Another feature of the invention resides in moving the aforementionedlight-screening'surfaces at different speeds to create constantlychanging light or color effects which repeat, if at all, at very longintervals of time.

Another feature of invention resides in so disposing the definedlight-transmitting surfaces in the respective screens relative to eachother and to the direction or line of movement thereof, that the effectof a flow of light or color is produced by the light projectedtherethrough.

Features related to the above, reside in the provision of an efiicientdevice or means by which the aforementioned objects may be readily andeasily obtained.

Other objects and features will hereinafter appear.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side view of one form of the device provided by thepresent invention for producing light effects, certain of the arts beingbroken away to enable a more clear illustration.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary detail view, partially in section, ofthe device shown in Fig, 1.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary detail view, looking downwardly, showing thebottom of the inner and outer frames.

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3 but showing only the top of the innerframe.

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken on the line 55 of Fig. 2, certain ofthe parts being broken away to enable a more clear illustration.

Fig. 6 is a side view showing a modified form of the device.

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary detail view showing one of the light screeningdiscs shown in Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary detail View showing another of the lightscreening discs shown in Fig. 6.

Fig. 9 is an essentially diagrammatic showing of a modification of thepresent invention.

Before describing the present improvements and mode of operation thereofin detail it should be understood that the invention is not limited tothe details of construction and arrangement of parts shown in theaccompanying drawings, which are merely illustrative of the presentpreferred embodiments, since the invention is capable of otherembodiments, and the phraseology employed is for the purpose ofdescription and not of limitation.

Referring more particularly to the drawings and first to Figs. 1 through5, there is shown a device It] constituting one form of the presentinvention for producing light effects, provided with a base ll havinglegs l2 and fixedly sup: porting in a central hub section i3, as by ascrew M, a hollow standard It through which a suitable electricalconductor 56 is directed to a lamp socket l 7 supported at the upper endthereof and adapted to receive an electric light bulb 18 whichconstitutes a light source IQ for the device Ill.

Positioned about the light source 19 are an inner wire frame ill] and anouter wire frame 2!, which, as shown, are substantially spherical inform and mounted for rotary movement in opposite directions about thestandard I5 as an axis. For thus mounting the substantially sphericalframes 20 and 2!, there are positioned on the standard l5 an innersleeve member 22 and an outer sleeve member 23.

As shown the inner sleeve member, which is freely rotatable on thestandard 15 rests at its lower end upon a collar 2:; between which andthe base II are interposed a thrust bearing 25 and a collar section 26on a laterally extending supporting arm 21 fixed to the standard. Theouter sleeve member 23 is freely rotatable on the inner sleeve member 22and is supported relative there to by a collar 28 and intermediatethrust bearing 29. A set screw 33 may be conveniently provided forfixing the collar 28 relative to the inner sleeve member.

For concurrently rotating the inner and outer sleeve members in oppositedirections there may be provided a suitable electric motor 3| having ashaft 32 with a worm gear 33 thereon adapted to engage a cooperatinggear 34 fixed to the inner sleeve. As the inner sleeve is rotated in onedirection, the outer sleeve is rotated in the other direction by a chainof gears including a gear 35 fixed to the inner sleeve, an idler gear 36supported on a stem 31 on the arm 21, and an internal .gear 38 carriedby a rim 39 connected through arms 4% to a hub Ill fixed to the outersleeve 23 as by a set screw 42.

Preferably, and as shown, the outer frame 21 is made in twosubstantially hemispherical parts 43 and M, each part comprising aseries of wires 45 connected at their upper ends to a semicircular platel6 and bent at their lower ends to provide portions 41 anchored in asplit collar 48 having two parts 49 and 56 adapted to be clampedtogether, as by screws about the outer sleeve 23. Also, each part of theouter frame includes a main stay wire 52 held by a turned under tongue53 on the plate and having its ends bent to provide portions 54 anchoredin one part of the split collar 43. To rigidify the outer frame, asshown, transverse Wires 55 and 56 are provided adjacent the top andbottom respectively of each frame part 43 and 44 and are suitably fixedto the main stay wire 52 and the wires 45 as by solder or the like. Withthis construction the outer frame 2| may be easily inserted in placeover the inner frame 29 by merely pivoting the two parts 43 and 44 abouta link 51 connecting the semicircular plates 45, and then closing theframe by clamping the split collar ($8 on the outer sleeve 23.

The inner frame 26 may, as shown, be similarly formed of two pivotablyconnected parts 5:8 and 59, each part being built of a series of wires60 connected at their upper ends to a semicircular plate BI and bent attheir lower ends to provide portions 62 anchored in a split collar 63having its two parts 64 and 65 clamped to the projecting upper end ofthe inner sleeve 22 as by screws 66. Also, as in the case of the outerframe 2|, each of the parts of the inner frame 2!} includes rigidifyingupper and lower transverse wires 67 and 68 connected as by solder to thewires 6!] and to a main stay wire 69 held by a turned under tongue onthe plate 65 and having its ends bent to provide portions '50 anchoredin one part of the split collar. II is provided for pivotally connectingthe semicircular plates 8! on the respective frame parts 58 and 59.

Of importance, the inner spherical frame is covered to provide a lightscreen 12 comprising a plurality of defined light-transmitting sections13 each of which may, as shown, be built up of a plurality of differentcolored strips 14 of theatrical gelatine. It is to be particularly notedthat the colors of the gelatine strips are so selected that adjacentstrips M in successive sections 13 are of different color so thatconsecutive sections have different light-transmitting characteristics.Thus, for example one section may be built up of yellow and greencolored gelatine strips and an adjacent section may be built up of blueand red colored gelatine strips.

The outer frame 2! is similarly covered to provide a light screen 15comprising a plurality of defined light-transmitting sections 16, eachof which, as shown, may be built up of a plurality of different coloredtheatrical gelatine strips 11. Of importance, and as in the case of theinner screen, the colors of the gelatine strips are so selected thatadjacent strips in successive sections 16 are of different color so thatconsecutive sections have different color transmitting characteristics.

To make possible the advantageous color flow effect produced by thedevice, it is to be especially noted that the sections 13 and T6 in therespective screening surfaces 12 and 15 are placed at an angle on thespherical frames 20 and 2f, that is the sections are so disposed that asthey and the frames are rotated about the standard [5 as an axis theylean relative to the line of movement of the screening surfaces. In theform disclosed this angular disposition of the sections 13 and 16 on therespective frames is achieved by laying the gelatine strips on theframes so as to radiate As with the outer frame 2|, a link from axes ofthe frames angularly disposed with respect to the axis defined by thestandard l5.

Also of importance in achieving the color flow effect, it is to benoted, as shown most clearly in Fig. 1, the sections 13 and 76 in therespective superposed spherical screens or screening surfaces 12 and 75are so disposed that as the frames are rotated they lean or incline inopposite directions relative to the direction of movement of one of thesurfaces,

In the operation of the device, when the screens 12 and 15 are rotatedin opposite directions the angular crossing of the inclined sections inthe superposed screening surfaces modifies the light passingtherethrough and thus creates the effect of a flow of color on anylight-interrupting surface on which the light from the device Ill isprojected. In the form shown, if the inclination or leaning of thesections in the respective screening surfaces is toward the direction ofmovement of the screen a shower or color fiow effect is produced whichflows downward, whereas if the inclination is in the other direction theshower or color effect produced is upward.

Various color patterns and combinations may be produced by altering thesize and shape of the sections and by changing the color combinations inthe sections. Also the projected pattern may be further modified byplacing masks having different sizes or shapes of openings over theouter or inner spherical screens. And, of importance, to insure a coloreffect which is constantly changing and which will repeat, if at all, atvery long time intervals the gear ratio utilized in rotating therespective screens is preferably adjusted so that the screens not onlymove in opposite directicns but at different speeds so that the samesections in the respective screens will not always be moved intosuperposed relation at the same point in the movement thereof.

The form of device If! above described, while it may be satisfactorilyused to project color on surfaces of divers shapes, is most effectivewhen used in a circular or spherical room where the flow of color willcompletely cover all sides as well as the ceiling and floor.

However, the same basic method of passing color through two screeningsurfaces moving in opposite directions and formed with definedlight-transmitting sections inclined in opposite directions relative tothe direction of movement of one of the surfaces is susceptible of.performance with other devices, such for example as the modified formof device 10a illustrated in Figs. 6, 7 and 8.

As shown, the modified device iiia includes a pair of superposed innerand outer light screens 80 and 8! in the form of'flat discs mounted, forrotation in opposite directions about a common axis provided by a pin 82supported between arms 83 and 84 on a supporting bracket 85 fixed to abase 86 by an upstanding arm 81. An electric motor 88 may beadvantageously provided forrotating the disc screens 81] and 8| inopposite directions through the intermediary of a pulley 89 on the motorshaft 90 connected by a belt iii to a pulley 92 on a hub 93 on the discscreen BI], and a pulley 94 on the motor shaft connected by a crossedbelt 95 with a pulley 96 on a hub 91 on the other disc screen 8!;

In the form illustrated the inner disc screen 36 includes a disclikeopaque frame 98 having openings 99 therein extending toward theperiphery from the central portion thereon; 0f importance it is to benoted that these openings do not extend along radii of the disc but areangularly offset so as to lean or incline relative to the directionmovement of the disc. Closing the openings Q9, as shown, there is asheet Hill of light-transmitting colored theatrical gelatine which whereit overlies the openings provides screening sections Ii)! havingdifferent lighttransmitting characteristics than the sections Hi2provided by th opaque frame 98 intermediate the openings 99.

The outer disc screen 8| is of similar construction including an opaqueframe I03 having openings 1B4 therein closed by a sheet I :15 of lighttransmitting colored theatrical gelatine, to thereby provide adjacentsections lbt and H31 with diiierent light-transmitting characteristics.Of importance, however, it is to be noted that the inclination of thegelatine closed openings H34 in the outer disc is in a directionopposite to that of the inclination of the openings 93 in the innerdisc.

When a light from a source, such as an electric light bulb I98, isdirected through the screens 88 and 8t it is qualified by the sectionsNH and H32 and the sections I06 and Hill as they are moved relative toeach other, the inclination of the colored sections producing the effectof a flow of color on any light-interrupting surface, as for example awall, on which light from the device is projected. sections in therespective screens is toward the direction of movement thereof theeffect produced is a radially inward flow of color, while if theinclination is in the opposite direction the effect produced is aradially outward fiow of color.

Preferably and in order that the combination or pattern of the coloreffect may repeat, if at all, at long time intervals the screens arerotated at different speeds as by controlling the ratio of sizes of thepulleys. The form of pattern pro duced in the effect may be regulated bychanging the shape of the designs formed by the openings or by usingmasks of different designs, and by using glass or gelatine sheets ofvarious colors to provide one or more different coloredlighttransmitting sections in one or both of the screens, the projectedcolor combinations may be varied.

If desired and as shown diagrammatically in Fig. 9 further novel lighteffects may be produced by so shaping the light screens through whichthe light passes that the spacing of the screens varies as they pass agiven point in their movement relative to each other and to the lightsource. a device having a substantially spherical shape such as the oneshown in Fig. 1, wires 45' and 60' in frames 43' and 58' respectivelymay be, as shown in Fig. 9, disposed so that the distance between thesuperposed frames 43' and 58 varies to correspondingly vary the distancebetween the light screens 15 and '12 carried thereby.

With this modified construction as the wavy surfaces of the screens aremoved relatively to each other, when a projection H0 in the outer screen15' is opposite a depression I l l in the inner screen 12' the lightpassing therethrough is modified in one way, when a depression H2 in theouter screen 15 is opposite a projection I 13 in the inner screen 12'the light passing therethrough is modified in another way, when aprojection I ID in the outer screen is opposite a projection H3 in theinner screen the light passing therethrough If the inclination of thecolored In achieving this result, for example, in

is modified in another way, and when portions on the respective screensintermediate the projections and depressions are opposite each otherstill further modifications of the light passing therethrough areachieved. The modified screens 72' and it, like the screens '52 and iiiin Fig. 1, may, as shown, have defined angularly disposed sections itand iii of different colors. However, by having different portions ofthe respective superposed screens spaced from each other differentdistances and also, if desired and as shown, by having certain portionsin the screens at an angle to the light source, unique light effects maybe produced even without using screens having defined sections it andIt? of different color.

Variations and modifications may be made within the scope of thisinvention and portions of the improvements may be used without others.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. In a device of the character described, an inner light screendisposed to define an inner sphere; an outer light screen disposed todefine an outer sphere, about said inner sphere, said inner and outerlight screens being so formed and disposed relative to each other thatadjacent superposed portions thereof are spaced different distancesapart; a light source disposed within said inner sphere; means formounting said inner and outer screens for rotatory movement about acommon axis of rotation passing substantially through the centers ofsaid defined spheres; means for rotating said screens to cause relativemovement therebetween; and defined sections in each of said screens,having different light-transmitting characteristics, the sections in atleast one of said screens being disposed at an angle relative to theline of rotatory movement as defined by a point on said screen spacedfrom the axis of rotation.

2. In a device of the character described, at least two superposed lightscreens adapted to encircle a light source, said light screens being soformed and disposed relative to each other that adjacent superposedportions thereof are spaced different distances apart; means for movingsaid screens in opposite directions about said light source; andadjoining sections in each of said superposed screens, having differentcolor lighttransmitting characteristics, and being inclined relative tothe direction of screen movement.

3. In a device of the character described, a pair of superposed lightscreening surfaces, movable laterally relative to each other, saidlight-screening surfaces being so formed and disposed relative to eachother that adjacent superposed portions thereof are spaced differentdistances apart; means for moving said screening surfaces relative toeach other; and means for projecting light through said superposedscreening surfaces.

4. In a device of the character described, at least two superposedlight-transmitting screens adapted to be so located relative to a lightsource that the light therefrom passes successively through saidscreens, said screens being movable laterally relative to each other andeach of said screens having wavy surface portions adapted to space thesuperposed portions of the screens different distances apart; and meansfor moving said screens laterally relative to each other to vary thespacing between said screens at any given point as the wavy portions ofthe respective screens pass each other.

CLEVELAND BRONNER, SB.

